Irish Derby

His Highness The Aga Khan's brilliant G1 Irish Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Alamshar died due to old age on August 20, JBBA Stallions announced on X Friday morning. The pensioned son of Key Of Luck was 26. Johnny Murtagh, who partnered Alamshar throughout his career, remembered him as an unassuming and perhaps underappreciated horse who was capable of exceptional performances at his best. "He had two great days," Murtagh told TDN. "The day at the Curragh was a brilliant day and a brilliant...

If you were concerned about the O'Brien domination of the Irish Derby, led by Aidan and backed up by sons Joseph and Donnacha, then prepare yourself for more consternation in this Saturday's Coral-Eclipse Stakes. At Monday's confirmation stage only eight remained and one was added, leaving four from Ballydoyle - two of those, Hawk Mountain and Causeway, having also been supplemented for Sunday's Deutsches Derby - and one each from the younger O'Briens.  Only three potential Eclipse runners are trained in Britain: the four-year-olds Saddadd and Gethin, and five-year-old King's...

Benvenuto Cellini's victory in Sunday's G1 Irish Derby saw him achieve a Timeform rating of 124p, a rating only bettered once in the last 10 runnings of the race by Westover (127) in 2022.  The son of Frankel arrived off the back of a controversial decision to make him a non-runner in the Epsom Derby, when sent off favourite, but he quickly proved his doubters wrong with a length-and-three-quarter beating of Epsom hero Christmas Day.  His performance at the Curragh saw his rating rise 6lbs to 124p, meaning he is...

Joseph O'Brien says he is confident that James J Braddock (Zarak) will give Epsom conqueror Christmas Day (Camelot) more than something to think about as the pair face off again in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday. The Leopardstown Derby Trial winner threatened to boil over pre-race on the Surrey Downs but performed admirably to finish third, beaten five and a quarter lengths by Christmas Day, who provided Aidan O'Brien with his 12th win in the Epsom Classic. Fresh from saddling five winners at Royal...

Owner Paul Byrne and trainer Emmet Mullins have launched themselves head first into arguably their most exciting challenge yet with the purchase of recent G3 Gallinule Stakes runner-up Zia Zabel (Ghaiyyath), who the pair will try to make up into a National Hunt stallion.  Whether it has been eye-watering gambles or plundering some of the game's biggest prizes, Byrne and Mullins have made a habit out of making the extraordinary look ordinary. Their latest big-race success had all the hallmarks of their combined genius when Soldier In Milan belied his...

On the day that Kevin Prendergast was remembered at the Curragh in the naming of the International Stakes, and a day after Peter Easterby was laid to rest, another great of the training ranks was lost with the passing of Barry Hills. Then came the news from America that D Wayne Lukas had too departed. To read the tributes paid to these men, who did so much to enrich the colour of this storied sport, is something of a treat in itself - their parting gift, if you like -...

THE CURRAGH, Ireland -- The sun came out as he came in. Lambourn, a dual Derby winner, just like his sire before him, and his grandsire before that.  He had to work for it, mind. This was no procession as at Epsom. This time his lead was contested much of the way by Sir Dinadan until Serious Contender looked just that. Turning in, with Ryan Moore already having to coax a little, Lambourn looked far from certain to claim his second Classic. These races are never easily won though, and...

Jessica Harrington has provided a positive bulletin on Green Impact ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and said that success in Sunday's big race would rival any of her exploits to date.  Green Impact is a general 10-1 chance for Irish Derby glory and comes into the race off the back of a confidence-booster in the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown after losing a shoe at a vital stage of the 2,000 Guineas on his seasonal return. Harrington said, "These are very important races and ones that are recognised...

Following Tuesday's confirmation stage, Derby winner Lambourn (Australia) headlines 10 colts who have stood their ground for Sunday's Irish equivalent at the Curragh, which could bring together the first three from Epsom for the first time since Ruler Of The World, Libertarian and Galileo Rock renewed their rivalry in 2013. Lambourn is a red-hot favourite to succeed where Ruler Of The World failed by completing the double for Aidan O'Brien, who could saddle up to five runners in his quest for a remarkable 17th victory in the Dubai Duty Free...

Connections of Derby runner-up Lazy Griff will make a late decision regarding his participation in Sunday's Irish equivalent, with his attempt to go one place better hinging on how much rain falls at the Curragh in the coming days. Trained by Charlie Johnston, 50/1 shot Lazy Griff provided his Middleham Park Racing owners with a huge thrill when finishing second at Epsom, faring best of the rest behind Lambourn (Australia) for the second consecutive start after they also filled the first two places in the previous month's G3 Chester Vase....

Prominent breeze-up consignor and pre-trainer Ian McCarthy says that having a genuine Derby horse through his hands will be very hard to top and explained how he will be rooting for graduate Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in Sunday's Irish Derby at the Curragh. McCarthy sold Ambiente Friendly on behalf of the colt's breeders Al Shira'aa Farms for 80,000gns to bloodstock agent Freddy Tylicki at last year's Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale.  Tylicki's opinion on the horse has since been vindicated 10 times over with Ambiente Friendly carrying the colours of...

Irish Derby weekend kicks off at the Curragh on Friday and there are no shortage of potential talking points. From highly-regarded juveniles, intriguingly-bred newcomers, stars of the future and potential banana skins, all of the ingredients are there to make the action on the track absorbing and informative. Here are some things to keep an eye out for.  Twomey Tipped To Begin Derby Weekend With A Bang The opening two-year-old maiden on Friday has the potential to be a cracker and the Paddy Twomey-trained Admiral Churchill (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) is...